Rituals
and customs do not only have a religious imperative; they are also very
useful to the characters's emotions and social lives.
The English philosopher Roger Scruton noted that Odysseus' encounter with his sorrowful supplicant is an interesting example of what rituals and traditions are and what they mean to people.
Scruton claims: "Not only does Elpenor ask to be buried; he also asks that people cry over him. He begs 'don't sail off and desert me, left behind unwept, unburied' (aklauton kai athapton) and Odysseus knows what he is expected to do: he must cremate Elpenor's body, weep over his passing away and erect a memorial.
The unborn are of vital importance to this sacrifice of the dead, and by honouring Elpenor Odysseus is also acting for 'those who come after us'. He acts in a way that is immediate to Odysseus' perception, with Odysseus' own love for his family and respect for the father that reared him. The common culture encompasses these complex states of mind and inforces their validity."
The English philosopher Roger Scruton noted that Odysseus' encounter with his sorrowful supplicant is an interesting example of what rituals and traditions are and what they mean to people.
Scruton claims: "Not only does Elpenor ask to be buried; he also asks that people cry over him. He begs 'don't sail off and desert me, left behind unwept, unburied' (aklauton kai athapton) and Odysseus knows what he is expected to do: he must cremate Elpenor's body, weep over his passing away and erect a memorial.
The unborn are of vital importance to this sacrifice of the dead, and by honouring Elpenor Odysseus is also acting for 'those who come after us'. He acts in a way that is immediate to Odysseus' perception, with Odysseus' own love for his family and respect for the father that reared him. The common culture encompasses these complex states of mind and inforces their validity."
Homer’s Influence through the Odyssey
The second epic of Homer is the Odyssey, it was written at the end of the 8th C. This work is mainly about the adventures and misfortunes of the hero Achilles. Its main theme is hospitality and it reflects the moral code of the Greeks. Nobel said that, “Had ancient Greece produced a bible, the Iliad and the odyssey of Homer would have been its two testaments.”
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